FSU sports information:
The No. 16 Florida State softball team (14-5) picked up two wins over Purdue and Western Michigan on Saturday at the FGCU Spring Break Classic in Fort Myers, Florida. FSU defeated the Boilermakers 15-9 in game one and took down the Broncos 6-2 in game two.
Game One vs. Purdue
FSU needed their largest comeback in four years to take down the Boilermakers in a game that saw 24 combined runs between the two teams. As the designated road team, the Seminoles took the batter's box first and Jaysoni Beachum hit her fifth home run in six games to put the Noles up 1-0 in the top of the first. Much like yesterday's game between the two teams, the Boilermakers put up a crooked number in the first and took a 6-1 lead into the second inning.
FSU quickly cut into the lead as Hallie Wacaser hit a leadoff single, and Amaya Ross smacked a home run to center field to make it 6-3. FSU continued to put pressure on the Boilermakers as Katie Dack drew a walk to bring up Devyn Flaherty. Flaherty hit a ground ball to the shortstop, but the throw went wild to allow Dack to advance to third. The Seminoles then put on a double steal, and Dack scored on the throw to second to try to catch Flaherty. Kalei Harding singled up the middle to score Flaherty to pull the Noles within one going into the bottom of the second.
The Seminole offense continued to produce as Ross drew a walk in the top of the third to put a baserunner on for the Noles. After Ross stole her 13th base of the season, Flaherty singled up the middle for her eighth RBI of the season to tie the game.
Beachum and Harding led off the fourth inning with back-to-back walks, and Michaela Edenfield continued her stellar season with a RBI single to give the Noles the lead. Isa Torres hit a fly ball out to right allowing Harding to score to give the Noles an 8-6 lead.
A couple of walks and an infield single loaded the bases for Harding in the fifth inning, and she got the job done as she reached on a fielder's choice to score Flaherty. Torres then reached on an error allowing Belviy to score to give the Noles a four-run cushion.
Back-to-back singles from Ross and Kennedy Harp got the Noles started in the top of the sixth, and Kaley Mudge earned a sacrifice fly to score Harp. Beachum then picked up her second RBI of the day to score Flaherty, and Harding doubled to give the Noles a 13-6 lead.
Harp hit her first career home run in the top of the seventh to give the Noles a 15-6 lead heading into the bottom half of the seventh. Purdue scored three in the bottom of the seventh, but Mimi Gooden was able to close out the game.
Makenna Reid entered the circle for Ashtyn Danley in the bottom of the first and had her best outing of the season. Reid went 5.1 innings and allowed just one hit while striking out a season-high seven batters. Reid's seven strikeouts were her second-most as a Seminole. Reid was credited with the win to improve to 3-0 on the year.
The Seminoles scored in every single inning against the Boilermakers with nine different Seminoles recording a hit. Beachum, Harding, Ross and Harp each had multiple hits.
FSU's five-run comeback was the largest come back since Feb. 7, 2020, when the Seminoles were down 7-1 to Alabama and came back to win 8-7.
Game Two vs. Western Michigan
Offense was hard to come by for the Noles in the second game of the day against Western Michigan, but FSU was able to take advantage of five errors from the Broncos to secure a 6-2 win.
Neither team was able to put any runs across in the first two innings. FSU had a great chance in the bottom of the second inning when they loaded the bases but a hard line out to third base ended the inning.
FSU struck first in the third as Beachum drew a leadoff walk. Annie Potter ran for Beachum and immediately stole second and advanced to third on a bad throw. Potter would score on a ground ball from Harding to give the Noles a 1-0 lead.
The Broncos responded with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth, but their lead did not last for long as the Seminoles put two runs on the board in the fourth inning. Ross started the inning by reaching on an error. Ross then stole second and was able to advance all the way to home thanks to a couple of throwing errors by the Broncos. Flaherty then hit a double, stole third and scored on a Mudge groundout to give the Noles the lead.
After Allison Royalty retired the side in order in the top of the fifth, Edenfield hit her team-leading seventh home run of the season to extend the lead to 4-2.
Katie Dack reached base on a swinging strikeout out the pitch sailed high allowing Dack to take first. Flaherty drew a walk, and Mudge picked up another RBI on a fielder's choice as Harp scampered home. FSU added one more run on a sacrifice fly from Harding allowing Flaherty to score.
Royalty struck out the side in the top of the seventh to end the game. Royalty went all seven innings and allowed just one earned run while striking out a season high seven batters. It was the first time in her career that Royalty had pitched all seven innings.
FSU will round out the FGCU Spring Break Classic tomorrow when they take on FGCU at 3 p.m. on ESPN+.
The No. 16 Florida State softball team (14-5) picked up two wins over Purdue and Western Michigan on Saturday at the FGCU Spring Break Classic in Fort Myers, Florida. FSU defeated the Boilermakers 15-9 in game one and took down the Broncos 6-2 in game two.
Game One vs. Purdue
FSU needed their largest comeback in four years to take down the Boilermakers in a game that saw 24 combined runs between the two teams. As the designated road team, the Seminoles took the batter's box first and Jaysoni Beachum hit her fifth home run in six games to put the Noles up 1-0 in the top of the first. Much like yesterday's game between the two teams, the Boilermakers put up a crooked number in the first and took a 6-1 lead into the second inning.
FSU quickly cut into the lead as Hallie Wacaser hit a leadoff single, and Amaya Ross smacked a home run to center field to make it 6-3. FSU continued to put pressure on the Boilermakers as Katie Dack drew a walk to bring up Devyn Flaherty. Flaherty hit a ground ball to the shortstop, but the throw went wild to allow Dack to advance to third. The Seminoles then put on a double steal, and Dack scored on the throw to second to try to catch Flaherty. Kalei Harding singled up the middle to score Flaherty to pull the Noles within one going into the bottom of the second.
The Seminole offense continued to produce as Ross drew a walk in the top of the third to put a baserunner on for the Noles. After Ross stole her 13th base of the season, Flaherty singled up the middle for her eighth RBI of the season to tie the game.
Beachum and Harding led off the fourth inning with back-to-back walks, and Michaela Edenfield continued her stellar season with a RBI single to give the Noles the lead. Isa Torres hit a fly ball out to right allowing Harding to score to give the Noles an 8-6 lead.
A couple of walks and an infield single loaded the bases for Harding in the fifth inning, and she got the job done as she reached on a fielder's choice to score Flaherty. Torres then reached on an error allowing Belviy to score to give the Noles a four-run cushion.
Back-to-back singles from Ross and Kennedy Harp got the Noles started in the top of the sixth, and Kaley Mudge earned a sacrifice fly to score Harp. Beachum then picked up her second RBI of the day to score Flaherty, and Harding doubled to give the Noles a 13-6 lead.
Harp hit her first career home run in the top of the seventh to give the Noles a 15-6 lead heading into the bottom half of the seventh. Purdue scored three in the bottom of the seventh, but Mimi Gooden was able to close out the game.
Makenna Reid entered the circle for Ashtyn Danley in the bottom of the first and had her best outing of the season. Reid went 5.1 innings and allowed just one hit while striking out a season-high seven batters. Reid's seven strikeouts were her second-most as a Seminole. Reid was credited with the win to improve to 3-0 on the year.
The Seminoles scored in every single inning against the Boilermakers with nine different Seminoles recording a hit. Beachum, Harding, Ross and Harp each had multiple hits.
FSU's five-run comeback was the largest come back since Feb. 7, 2020, when the Seminoles were down 7-1 to Alabama and came back to win 8-7.
Game Two vs. Western Michigan
Offense was hard to come by for the Noles in the second game of the day against Western Michigan, but FSU was able to take advantage of five errors from the Broncos to secure a 6-2 win.
Neither team was able to put any runs across in the first two innings. FSU had a great chance in the bottom of the second inning when they loaded the bases but a hard line out to third base ended the inning.
FSU struck first in the third as Beachum drew a leadoff walk. Annie Potter ran for Beachum and immediately stole second and advanced to third on a bad throw. Potter would score on a ground ball from Harding to give the Noles a 1-0 lead.
The Broncos responded with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth, but their lead did not last for long as the Seminoles put two runs on the board in the fourth inning. Ross started the inning by reaching on an error. Ross then stole second and was able to advance all the way to home thanks to a couple of throwing errors by the Broncos. Flaherty then hit a double, stole third and scored on a Mudge groundout to give the Noles the lead.
After Allison Royalty retired the side in order in the top of the fifth, Edenfield hit her team-leading seventh home run of the season to extend the lead to 4-2.
Katie Dack reached base on a swinging strikeout out the pitch sailed high allowing Dack to take first. Flaherty drew a walk, and Mudge picked up another RBI on a fielder's choice as Harp scampered home. FSU added one more run on a sacrifice fly from Harding allowing Flaherty to score.
Royalty struck out the side in the top of the seventh to end the game. Royalty went all seven innings and allowed just one earned run while striking out a season high seven batters. It was the first time in her career that Royalty had pitched all seven innings.
FSU will round out the FGCU Spring Break Classic tomorrow when they take on FGCU at 3 p.m. on ESPN+.
